Lachey choir wins ‘Clash,’ cash for hospital

Amateur, hand-picked vocalists earn $250,000 for Cincinnati facility

Rick Maiman / AP

Singer Nick Lachey, front left, and his "Team Lachey" Choir of Cincinnati won Thursday night’s finale of NBC’s “Clash of the Choirs.”

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updated 12:01 p.m. ET Dec. 21, 2007

CINCINNATI - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has something to sing about, thanks to Nick Lachey and the hometown choir he put together.

They were declared the winners on Thursday night’s finale of NBC’s “Clash of the Choirs,” taking home $250,000 for the hospital.

Lachey’s choir beat four other choirs led by music celebrities who went to their home areas to find talent. The choirs performed live in four airings from New York City this week. The winner was determined by viewer voting.

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“I’ve been blown away by my choir’s poise. It’s made up of amateur singers. They’ve never done this before,” Lachey, 34, said on the show.

He hand-picked the 20 vocalists in his choir from 350 people who auditioned six weeks ago. The choir included teachers, a chili server, a nurse, cell phone and software salesmen, choir directors and college students.

Many Children’s Hospital Medical Center employees “have been glued to TV at home this week rooting for the hometown choir,” said Nick Miller, hospital spokesman.

Patti LaBelle’s Philadelphia choir placed second, while Blake Shelton’s Oklahoma City choir was third. Also competing: Michael Bolton’s New Haven, Conn., choir and Kelly Rowland’s Houston choir. The show surprised these choirs with a $50,000 donation from GE to each of their charities.